Roudel Rewrite (private)

[AsheWindWaker]

Mathius let the sides of his mouth twitch upwards, though the smile never really reached his eyes. “She did. She hated that the rain. It got in the way of everything,” He said. He smiled a bit wider. “She had to go open the shoppe, and pull us along, and it was really just awful. The customers were less, and sometimes they would send letters for house calls…for the ones who knew her, so she had to trudge through the rain, normally getting a cold herself, and then still having to…to take care of us.”

‘Ramsey…it’s not getting any better. I’m not getting better, and I’m afraid that-…Mathius, Mathius what are you doing in here?’ Mathius only watched his wet-faced father stare silently at the wall as Madeleine came and put a hand on his shoulder. She couldn’t pick him up anymore. That was the first day he realized something was wrong.

“She would be the one to void all the rain,” He laughed. “Do you remember when she taught us how to mud slide?” He asked. Then he laughed even harder at the memory of the time his mother had taken off her top dress and slid through the mud on a very rainy day. Mathius had followed, and Kyier just stood by and watched them act like baboons, which is why Mathius had thrown a glop of mud at his friend. “We should go see that house soon. I do miss it…I mean, it’s where I grew up, despite the bad memories.” He looked up when the presence of Elisabeth was known, as she moved over to sit herself down next to Kyier, and she sprawled herself out among the grass, her body stretching and tickling his. Mathius honestly believed that she was about to be seriously burned. Kyier looked ready to destroy her, and he could see within his mind’s eye the image of Kyier grinning manically as she burned. It was a welcome relief to the ongoing sadness this day has forcefully plagued him with. He sat up, and ignoring the horrified expression on his friends face, he looked towards the lake.

Anita had called to him, and she held a candle in her hands, decorated with the same flowers. He took his gingerly in his hands, holding it tight as Kyier suddenly appeared and with a flick of his thumb produced a light for him. He led the others, now all holding the same colored candles, and dipped it into the water. He let it be taken by the small ripples, and he watched as the others did the same, the candles floating gently in the dark water, the small lights flickering against the wind. He could feel Anita next to him, and he smiled down at the small woman. Nobody said anything, the six of them enjoying a moment of silence as they remember his mothered. She was gone, but no, she would never be forgotten.
Suddenly, like the time had been lost like sand through an hourglass, slipping past his fingers, the candles all flickered lifelessly, and he felt Kyier’s hand on his shoulder. He turned, and with the others, he walked around the castle, heading home. He said his goodbyes, kissing Anita and Queen Vivian on the cheek, and then hugging Cederick and Kyier, and finally Elisabeth, though it was more her jumping on him and crying about how sorry she felt for never knowing his mother. He just smiled down at her, and shook his head.
“Thank you. Now, go home and get some sleep. Thank you for coming tonight,” He said, and he watched them walk towards their horses, the lovely animals bucking in happiness as they appeared. Elisabeth tried to get on Kyier’s horse with him, since they didn’t arrive together, and he immediately pushed her off, the small woman falling dramatically towards the ground. Cederick was the one to swoop over and pick her up, kindly sharing the horse with her as Anita yelled at her firstborn as they rode into the night. Elisabeth noticed the Marquess break off from the group, following off after Mathius as he strolled alone down the path toward town.

As they entered the manor, Elisabeth looked for her mother, who sat knitting by the firelight in the tea room, with Sebastien holding her yarn in his lap around his hands. Though his hands were tied tight, his mouth drabbled on and on about something, or rather everything and nothing. Elisabeth stood by the door, and watched her mother work. She came into the room, and sat next to the boy. “How was it?” he asked.
Elisabeth smiled, “Beautiful! Everything about it.”
Marge looked up from her work, and smiled, “Good. Sebastien here was jus’ telling me everything about him, and I just can’t get enough. Howeve’, Miss Sofia still refuses to speak, thou’ she has been pleasant company just the same. Been entirely involved in my needlework,” she said, grinning kindly at the youngest girl.

[StormingNightmare]

Needlework... So that's what she called it, fascinating. Sofia had never seen anything like it. The woman's fast working hands moved so succinctly, their actions pulling together the fine threads of soft yarn into a remarkably beautiful unison. It was miraculous! Her little nose peeked over the arm of Marge's chair, eyes watching each new row carefully as it progressed. Marge patted her lap... A beckon, Sofia knew, and yet she remained with her feet planted on the floor. She looked up at the woman curiously though, "Come on, Child, I don't bite too bad." Elisabeth laughed, "Don't take it personally, Mama. Sofia doesn't-" The young Duchess' mouth dropped open when Sofia obliged to her mother. She scooted back onto Marge's lap, blinking up at her with those mesmerizing crystal blues of hers. The elder woman took the little girl's hands in her own, showing her the motions required to manipulate the yarn. A child Sofia's age should hardly have possessed the degree of concentration she was demonstrating, her little tongue hanging out as she wove the needles together.

"Cederick, please. I don't wish to." Anita and Cederick spoke softly to one another just outside the door. The Duchess was putting up quite the fight with her husband, wanting nothing more to be left to herself for a time. She couldn't allow the children, nor Elisabeth to see such weakness in her. They and Mathius too needed her to be strong. "Anita, please. If any one of those you loved tried to pull this with you, you know damn well you wouldn't hear of it." She grew tired of his argument, and it began to show on her face. "Just drop the matter, in the end I will do what I wish anyway, or have you yet to learn that after twenty years together?" Their voices rose, drawing a hushed silence to even the chatty Sebastien now staring toward the doorway with wide eyes. "Oh, fine then you stubborn thing! Go suffer in your damn silence!" Cederick hissed, shaking his head in frustration, "Perhaps within the next year of our marriage you'll manage some sense and learn that I'm actually wise about most facets! Until then, I'll let you off then." he snapped. Anita did just that, charging briskly off toward the stairs with tears forming in her eyes.

Earlier...right after the group had split~~

Kyier rode down the path, bringing the black stallion into a slow trot to catch up to his disheartened friend, "Mathius, what do you think you are doing?" he asked, wondering why neither his mother or father hadn't stopped him first. "It is almost nightfall and you are foolish enough to not only journey alone but also on foot?" Kyier rolled his eyes, offering down his hand. "You are lucky the day leaves us little time." he grumbled, not particularly a fan of the idea of the man riding on the back of his horse. But then again, they had been together in much closer proximity before.

"Kyier... Do you think they're gone yet?" Mathius whispered in the young Marquess' ear." The fiery child growled, "How am I to know, you twit. This is all your fault, and you better tell that to our mother's when we get out of here." Mathius bit his lip, clearly wishing to say something in his defense and yet too timid to object to the Marquess. He swallowed, building up his shaky courage, "But Kyier... You- those men were after you, remember? They tried to kidnap you cause your Mama and Papa have a lot of money, ya know?" The Marquess clenched his teeth, listening closely to the footsteps scurrying about outside. He flung his hand over Mathius' mouth to shut him up, his eyes narrowing as he listened closely to the thug's moments outside. "I would have gotten away just fine if they hadn't snatched you when you stupidly tripped over that branch." he hissed. "I told you not to follow me, I told you we weren't friends but no. I hate you Mathius VanAelst." The little apothecary's son blushed crimson, his eyes downcasting, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trip. I-I was trying to go get my Mama to help you." Kyier rolled his eyes, "Very helpful. Very helpful indeed."

Not to mention all those times their stupid mothers made him spend the night at the cottage. Ugh, that frightful little girl was always all over him. Mathius' room had been a safe haven those days, even if they could hardly be considered friends back then. Mathius took his hand, Kyier helping him to hoist himself up onto the beast. Almost immediately, Kyier felt Mathius' arms wrap around his waist. A dull growl ripped from deep down within the Marquess, "Oh no, my friend." He lifted the mans' arms and cast them away from him, his eyes pointing to the piece of the saddle he had expected Mathius to hold onto for security. "We need to get you a damn girlfriend." Kyier's eyes lit up, "Aha! Perhaps that stupid girl who lives with me! Then both of you would be out of my hair! Hoorah! She's...nice..." Kyier cringed. "And pre-pretty um...short?" He could feel Mathius' eye roll behind him. "How about a woman whom you aren't Hellbent on crushing the spirit of?" The apothecary grinned. "That aside, Elisabeth isn't really my type." Kyier snorted, "I'm not so sure you have the charm that would allow you to be picky." The stallion hurried on, arriving at the cottage just before night fell upon them. "And I especially don't care to pursue a woman who has already fallen for the likes of you." Mathius shooked his head, keeping that particular thought to himself. The two men jumped down, Kyier patting the horse's nose, "Hurry home, Chauntliere. It is not safe to keep you here." He watched him off as Mathius fiddled with the door, going on and on about what they would have to feed the hound in his basement if she were to awaken as well as all the test he planned to run. Kyier sighed, a small smirk playing at his lips as he contemplated whether or not to just allow Mathius to keep going. He imagined the man would shriek something terrible when he would come to find the hound had esaped...perhaps roaming about his home or what have you. Oh, that would be delightfully funny to watch.

[AsheWindWaker]

It was Sebastien who followed her, while Sofia and Margerie worked, and Elisabeth seemed to watch merely silently, Sebastien had stood, because he knew why Anita was so upset. He followed her outside, into the cool night where she had taken residence at the piano bench, her fingers stretching out so eagerly to touch the keys. He moved to sit next to her, giving her a bright, dazzling smile. “I didn’t know your friend…but Elisabeth told me how she d-, uh, passed. I’m really sorry,” He said, putting his hand on hers. “I think she died a hero. She was trying to do so much good, right?” He asked. “You know…I bet she is an angel with Lumos, and has some…some great big wings. And, you can’t forget, she’s always going to be alive…right here.” And he took her hand and placed it on her heart, and smiled again. “If you need to talk about it, I’m here.” Just one more thing, “My Mama always told me tears make you strong. And you’re not weak to let people see you cry.”

And of course, the first thing that Mathius did was run downstairs to check on the status of the hound, maybe take some more notes and collect more data. When he reached the bottom of the landing, his heart froze and he broke out in a chilly sweat. His eyes glanced quickly around, and he backed towards the wall. He moved towards the door leading to the back garden and he checked the dead lock. It was bolted. He ran back upstairs, Artemis hissing and trying to waddle his fat self away into his bedroom. “Kyier! The hound is gone. Gone!” He hissed, looking around for their hidden hound as if the creature would be merely hiding behind the sofa or in under the bed. He wouldn’t be able to go to bed knowing it roamed free. He almost hopped over the back of the sofa, and made sure that all of the doors were locked.
“How could this happen? We were so damn careful, so careful, and now this. This is just awful!” His eyes were glazed with fear. And suddenly Kyier had grabbed him and he understood. “What happened?” He whispered, his voice hoarse. “How could we let this happen?” He really just wanted some coffee now. He could use it. He moved towards the kitchen and started pulling the bag of harsh smelling beans from the bag and the small bottle of liqueur that Anita and Cederick had purchased for his birthday last year. He could feel Kyier speaking to him, but his mind was an absolute whirl with the loss of their hound. What if it didn’t work? What if now everything was just about to fall apart?

[StormingNightmare]

Anita smiled shakily at the insightful young man. Without saying a word, she drew him forward, pulling him into a warm embrace. Her lips quivered in against his shaggy head, her tears now falling shamelessly from her closed eyes. "This world can be so cruel, Sebastien." she breathed. "But we all carry on because the beauty in it is worth the struggle." Anita pulled back, laughing softly as Sebastien dabbed away her tears with a handkerchief, "That is something Madeleine taught me. She spoke those words to me not long after she realized that her disease was going to claim her life. You are very right, Sebastien. Is she still alive. Her brave words and smile will live on with me until the day Lumos reunites us." Anita took a deep breath, tapping a few of the ivory keys in front of her with a quaint little smile on her face. "Can I tell you a secret, Sebastien?" Anita smirked, her eyes mischievous as she watched him from the downward corner. He nodded, "Sometimes... I have little visions of the future." she whispered after leaning in closer to his ear. He rose an eyebrow as if questioning her truthfulness, "Don't believe me?" she giggled playfully. "Hm... What if I told you that one day, you and little Sofia were going to fall in love?" She blinked, surprised when the young man nearly pushed her from the bench, "Now I really don't believe you!" he laughed, shaking his head. "Ain't no way!" Sebastien crossed his arms to affirm his stance on the matter and Anita only grinned wider, "We'll see about that, Kiddo." The Duchess ribbed him, "Okay, okay. Let me try again." she sighed, looking up toward the moon. "What if I told you that one day you are going to grow into a big, strong man who is going to be so very loved by his family. You're going to take care of two very important little twins, and for awhile, they will be your world." Her dreamy eyes grew glossy as she spoke, "You'll have to get used to the name Sebby... it'll be their favorite." she laughed, clearly holding back more tears. "And then one day, after they are grown, you will have your own little one and you will be a father that all other fathers can only dream of becoming."

The playfulness was wiped clean off of Sebastien's face and now all her could do was stare at the Duchess. He swallowed, "Umm... Anita... Are you- are you okay?" His words snapped her from her trance. She turned quickly and smiled, "Yes, yes... Of course." she gasped. Her chin rose to look at the others now gathering in the distance. Cederick stood silently at the doorway, smiling smugly as Elisabeth and Marge crossed swiftly over the lawn. Sofia followed behind, dragging her feet and pouting a bit as she was rater disappointed about having to stop her needlework. "I'm sorry if I worried you all." Anita stated quietly. "I suppose I am a bit of a hypocrite in some ways." she sighed. "Most ways." Cederick corrected. Elisabeth smiled sweetly, and the hug from her goddaughter was just what Anita needed to fully restore the light back into her soul. She held her tightly, feeling the warmth of the young girl as well as the soft sadness from her mother standing nearby. Anita understood her, but even so, it was terribly hard for one not to feel disdain toward the other. Both had what the other lacked, however, both wanted the same thing, and perhaps that's what would put an end to their silent dispute. Standing back out of the way, Sofia rocked back and forth on her heels, her brows furrowing at Sebastien who simply wouldn't stop staring at her with this odd bashfully sort of expression. It was just plain weird.

Kyier shrugged his shoulders, "The dog sort of evaporated into darkness. It was quite interesting, actually." Mathius mouth dropped, his eyes glaring at him in disbelief, "Oh, relax. I took plenty of notes before the phenomenon. I came back here after you and my mother so shamelessly made a mockery of me. The hound was awake." He motioned for Mathius to follow him downstairs, listening for the sound of the chair scrapping against the wooden flooring. He grinned when it did and was then followed by the sound of his best friends begrudging footsteps. "Her eyes were so gentle, Mathius, and she almost looked scared of me. They changed from that horrifying red to this- Hm... What color? Um, I guess a peridot, like a pale green." he explained, handing the very tired looking man his notebook. "She let me pet her." The life was returned to Mathius' eyes then as his mouth nearly dropped to the floor, "You did what?! Are you mad, Kyier?! The beast could have taken off your hand!" he scolded. The Marquess rolled his eyes, "She was muzzled, Mathius. And besides, I'm telling you, that creature was more a dog than a beast from hell. I think it worked, my friend. I honestly believe our serum worked!" And in that moment... The apothecary played witness to one of the rare occasions where Kyier honestly smiled.

[AsheWindWaker]

As the clocks ticked on, as they always have, time moved forward. Two weeks had passed by since the memorial service of Madeleine VanAelst. Much to Mathius’ chagrin they had not recovered the lost hound since it was last seen in his basement and thus, he was forced to take the word of his trusted friend that their serum had proven effective. Certainly all hadn't been lost with the hounds escape. They now knew more about the beasts than ever before. Landon as a whole, for the most part, seemed to have calmed down. The houses that had been set to ash were now allowed closer inspection and the streets had been opened to pedestrians again. Homes were being rebuilt in an effort that brought together peasant, noblemen, mage and knight alike. In a way, the burnings were beginning to be thought of by some as a blessing. Joshua's popularity was renewed in the eye's of the public under his clever scheme to play a victim of the happenings that destroyed the homes of so many innocents. Elisabeth and Kyier seemed to go into debating ends, neither of them able to justify their alleged dislike of the other. One night, after most had gone to sleep, Elisabeth attempted to follow Kyier from the manor; however, she quickly noticed how he seemed to disappear into the night. There was nothing she could do besides to turn around and go back to bed. It felt like three more days before she saw him again.
During these days Elisabeth grew much closer to Sebastien and he her. And she thought Sofia, too, though that was much more difficult to tell. On more than one occasion she found herself in the Cross library, going through their books about anything she could find. Mainly she searched for books about Roudel’s history and Magick based past. Many a time Sebastien would be found lying with her as she read, and on a rarer occasion, Sofia would be there too. She never spoke, rather she would either sit their quietly, or read her own book. Those occasions were even rarer. The little girl, unlike Sebastien, seemed to gravitate to the Marquess. She became his shadow in many an instance and perhaps because she was so quiet, Kyier didn't seem to mind her presence. He allowed her to follow without complaint, and that made her one of the very privileged few.
Since Margerie Thurn had left Landon, Elisabeth found herself missing her and her father much more than she had when she left them originally. She wrote them a new letter every other day, and sent them both boxes of bonbons, chocolates, and candies. She sent her mother a new apron, and her father a brand new set of pinking shears. In return her mother had sent her packages as well, though by far not as many. She had sent a homemade pie, a few clipped roses from Bufard’s garden, and a thick blanket with a note attached that read: ‘Please give to Sofia.’ And then she signed it, ‘with love’.
It always seemed strange to Elisabeth, how whenever she mentioned her mother it was as if Anita disappeared from the room, or rather just opted to go quiet. She felt the air shift, and she quickly learned it was best not to continuously mention her mother, out of respect for her godmother. She was getting irritated with Kyier and his disappearances. Even when he was home and they were forced to dine with one another, his icy words always seemed to encompass the expression, ‘stupid girl’.

Now Elisabeth moved through the hall, holding the soft package in her arms. She found Sofia with Sebastien, the two of them sitting in the library together and sharing a whispered conversation. Though then the Duchess found it was merely Sebastien doing all the talking. She gave Sofia the package, and watched as she carefully opened it. The beautiful rose colored blanket fell around, a pair of tiny gloves falling from the folds. Sofia picked them up before looking up at Elisabeth.
“My mother made it for you. I think she likes you,” Elisabeth said. “I think this may have been what she was working on before she left.”
Sofia blushed just slightly, a small little smile gracing her pretty lips. No one had ever made her anything before, especially not something so beautiful. Elisabeth smiled and shook open the blanket to lay over the little girl. The yarn was so soft over her skin... It felt just like a delicate rose petal. She grinned at Sebastien's smug expression. The young man was clearly jealous. Sofia shrugged her shoulder a bit, nuzzling down under the cover for the sere purpose of rubbing it in. She laughed silently for a little while until she begrudgingly offered him room underneath. He pulled the blanket over both their heads, telling her that this was some kind of fun game. Sofia just sort of sat there and blinked in the new darkness, really uncertain of how this was suppose to be some magnificent fort. The boy was clearly delusional.

Meanwhile, Mathius once more had the pleasure of Kyier’s company. The Marquess was ranting about how his parents’ continuing to allow Elisabeth to roam the house as if she were a wild animal, and how entirely obnoxious she had been since she first disrupted his life. Apparently, it had yet to daunt on the Marquess that Elisabeth might be taking up residence permanently in his home.
“And now-,” He ranted, “My uncle still insists on throwing a ludicrous ball for her homecoming.”
“Well…” Mathius said, “Now is as good a time as any. The rebuilding is going well, so why not?” He asked. At Kyier’s fiery glare he continued, “But maybe they just want to make amends with those who lost their homes…they surely feel a bit responsible…or something…”
Kyier scoffed, "You know damn well the citizens that had their homes burned to the ground can't afford ball attire. This is all just my Uncle's pompous pride in that little half-wit. You know I have great respect for my Uncle, Mathius, but in this regard he's a damn fool." The Marquess began to pace, "I'm actually considering attending the stupid thing, just for the very idea of seeing that stupid girl fall flat on her face. All the nobles are going to eat her alive."

[StormingNightmare]

Artemis dodged Kyier's incoming foot, just narrowly escaping the pacing madman. He scurried across the wooden floors, his claws drawing long scratches that Mathius quickly cursed him for. It was his own fault for bringing the fat, skiddish thing into the shoppe again. Clearly he hadn't learned his lesson from last time when Atemis jumped up onto an end table and shattered three gorgeous glass medallions. The sound of the crash sent the puff flying straight into a bookshelf, knocking more merchandise to wreck over the floor. Mathius lost a lot of money that day... A pity it was. "No, you know what? I don't even care enough to watch her embarrassment. It would be nothing more than painful, hardly worth the exhaustion of actually going through the trouble of attending a cursed ball. Here. I know you love the damn things, my invitation is yours." Kyier flung the sealed envelope over his shoulder as he turned, looking across the room to the window from which the sound of echoing shots carried from outside. "You have got to be kidding me," he hissed. The Marquess harbored a very grim expression as his eyes narrowed toward the door. "Kyier, don't," Mathius stated in a fatherly tone as soon as Kyier took a forward step. He should have known better than to even bother...

Kyier threw open the door and stormed toward the town square where he began pushing through the gathering crowd. He forced his way to the domineering lion fountain, ignoring the grunts and huffs of the angry citizens he shamelessly pushed from his way. "They're menaces! Your homes, your families... We are all victims! One of those slimy fiends infiltrated my very mind and drove me to madness," Joshua ranted, his voice loud and authoritative as he walked back and forth along the fountain's marble edge. "I do not stand before you and try to make excuses for my weakness! I stand before all of you now to take responsibility for this tragedy and to announce that my family, the Hasting's Dynasty, have begun to drive the relief efforts for you the citizens of this great kingdom! We are providing food and fresh water, clothing and medicine. We have hired the construction managers you have seen working tirelessly to rebuild what has been lost. I will not rest until everything that has been destroyed is rebuilt to a greater grandeur than ever before. This city will rise up and shine in the wake of this tragedy. We will show this kingdom the strength of Landon's people. Together we will rise above this...Together we will-" The man was cut short by a tomato to his face, the red fruit sending the Duke flying backward into the chilly water. The cheers from the crowd turned into concerned and frightened gasps. A group from the front line lunged forward to help the flustered man from the water while the others searched around frantically for whomever would be so cruel as to harm such a kind, altruistic man. They saw nothing, nothing other than a shining gold coin sitting on a nearby fruit stand.

"Who?! Who threw that?!" Joshua demanded, his eyes a heated blaze of fire as he threw his drenched jacket to he ground. Hushed whispers circulated the crowd of frightened faces while a single hand shot up into the air. "I saw who did it!" the voice yelled, his face hidden from the Duke by other bodies. "It was...It was- Oh, it's too horrible to say!" Joshua's eyes narrowed, "Out with it!" he hissed. "Bring that man forward." A few around him pushed him forward, all with wide eyes and looks of terror on their faces. He moved through the crowd with ease then until he stood directly before the furious Duke. "I'm so sorry, my Lord. It was I who threw the hated fruit. I saw the shadow just before it took root in my very soul! There was nothing I could do to escape it." Kyier pleaded, putting on quite the show as he dropped to his knees. Joshua's lips curled, "You little p***k..." he hissed under his breath. "Please, surely you of all people should understand. I just- I couldn't control myself" he cried out. Joshua reached down and gripped the Marquess by the collar, "Yeah, I bet you couldn't. Guards! Arrest this man!" Kyier was flung into the arms of none other than the Left Hand to the King, and the man couldn't have looked more confused as his hands gripped around Kyier's shoulders to steady him. "But Sire... Surely you aren't thinking of completely disregarding the Marquess' words. We must protect the people if even there is but a chance that castors have descended upon us once more." The Duke responded with a role of his eyes, "That man is a liar and will be put away for assault! You can share his cell if you wish to continue to step your bounds and question orders." Whispers circulated the crowd once more, bringing a smirk to Kyier's face. "I abide the King's orders. You have no authority over me or my knights." Chrystiem snapped. He watched Kyier as he stepped forward, knowing well that his friend had things under control.

"It was as if my soul turned to ice and all so suddenly my body was no longer under my control. My world became so dark and-" "Shut up! Shut up, you lie! ." Kyier blinked, shaking his head with an expression of absolute innocence that looked entirely unnatural to his face. "How can you call me a liar when you too experienced the very same thing? Certainly you aren't suggesting to these fine people that you weren't actually possessed." Joshua's eyes grew wide as if the dullard was just now realizing the game Kyier was playing. Oh, the hidden fury was so delightful. Kyier could have basked in it for hours on end.

A set of traveling feet came to a slow, hesitant stop a distance from the bickering crowd. "Oh, dear." Anita sighed, stopping from her present venture toward the tailor. Elisabeth came up beside her, looking as innocently perplexed as ever. Anita pointed her in the direction where the two men stood above the crowd, shaking her head all the while. "I feel as though nothing ever goes well when you put my son and nephew within ten feet of each other," she sighed again. Joshua drew Kyier into an embrace, their bodies both tense and obviously strained in the act. "Challenge me again and I will have your head, Kyier. Back. Off." The Duke growled into his cousin's ear, his threatening words masked by a smile he wore for the public's scrutiny. Kyier grinned, his eyes shifting narrowly, "And what fun would that be, Joshua?" he whispered.

[AsheWindWaker]

“Kyier,” Elisabeth had said, happily surprised to see him as she left Anita and made her way towards the two men. He didn’t seem to hear her, even as she tried to push her way through the loud crowd. She was attempting to get to him, that part she knew, but she hadn’t a clue why. She could hear his snap at her when she appeared, and she only made it half way when she felt Anita’s hands wrap around her wrist and held her back. She watched as Anita made it towards the two bickering children, and shook her head. Elisabeth watched her amusedly, unfortunately too far away to hear anything. Anita was talking to Joshua, and she tried to move closer, but for some reason it was as if a wall of people had closed together as tightly as bricks, and she couldn’t get inside. She turned around, and moved back and forth as she tried to get closer, the citizens talking so loudly among themselves.
She turned around again, slipping off the curb as her boot went into a puddle of mud, and as she tried to wipe it off, Anita had reappeared, and she had never seen her look so flustered. “What happened?” She asked, looking back at the dispersing crowds. Anita shook her head, looking suddenly much more tired, and finally she smiled again and became her much more like herself. She just calmly told Elisabeth that she had sent her son home, and that she threatened to get in contact with the Queen. She had really only intended on getting the two little boys to separate.

But they had other intentions today, even as the remaining crowd loudly talked about the Shadow Castors and their mysterious powers, what they could do to them all, and what they planned on doing, Elisabeth even heard a loud woman yelling at her son and daughter about the evil that they possessed. The Castors, according to the woman, were sure to destroy their souls, and even after getting touched by one not even Lumos would allow their graces into the Heavens. It would have been a lie if the Castors did not make even Elisabeth curious. She surely hoped that they weren’t as evil beings as everyone sought them to be, and seemingly tried to make them be, but she wondered where they came for. She was sure others had the same wonderment.

In the small dress shoppe, Anita helped her into her undergarments, pulling on her petticoat bloomers and her corset, and she watched in the mirror as she tied the strings around her so she could get into the dresses. Her brain was somewhere else though, in a land in-between reality, and she realized Anita was talking to her. She looked at her in the mirror through glossy eyes. “I-I’m sorry. What?” She asked, trying to recall what Anita had been saying to her. She looked at the two different coloured dresses that were being handed to her, and she picked the first one, trusting whatever Anita had picked out for her as a good dress. As she slipped into it, she wondered now how much she did resemble her birth mother, and once more her mind traveled to the realm of wondering if her parents would have been proud of her. In the back of her mind though, her brain still replayed the same image of Kyier’s graceful fingers on top of the piano keys. A musician should never be so evil, and she had doubts he could be. But he always managed to just prove her wrong.

“Anita?” Elisabeth asked. She came out from behind the curtain as Anita tied the dress around her back, pulling the ribbons to lace it. “Do you know anything about the Castors? These…these Shadow Beings…have you ever seen one? I mean personally, not just like what you’ve heard.” She doubted Anita had, but she wasn’t getting answers from anyone, so maybe she should have just been asking her own questions.

At the castle, Cederick had taken the two little members of the Manor to see his brother in law. They were barely in their for a few minutes before Queen Vivian had swooped them up and taken them to the dining room. She was entirely enthralled with the two kids. “This is Sofia…” Sebastien had just introduced her. “She’s like me,” He told her again. He felt really comfortable around the Queen because she reminded him so much of Anita. He suddenly pat her hand and looked at her seriously. In fact, it was so serious, he looked as if he was twice his age. Then he said to her, “How are things?” As if he was one adult talking to another.

[StormingNightmare]

The Queen's sweet smile widened, her heart fluttering within the bounds of her chest, "It is so very kind of you to worry, Sebastien. I personally find such kindness most admirable." She held his hand in hers and lay her other softly over top. "Alphonse and I would be blessed to have such valor in our knights." The boy's mouth dropped at the sudden implication. His new smile radiated a golden light that had to potential to dissipate even the darkest of times. "Work hard and one day I can see you standing beside the throne as one of the kingdom's most trusted protectors. You certainly have the heart for it." Vivian stood from the bench, her eyes looking up to the clouds. She strolled leisurely into the gardens that seemed to stretch on for miles, passing under the long, flexible branches of a breezy willow. "Hm...I could have sworn this is where your little friend disappeared to. She's quite the unique little girl, isn't she?" Vivian had always been much more endowed when it came to keeping her emotions hidden compared to the likes of her sisters. A smile masked her worry. She'd hate to think the little girl might find herself lost, especially when she was without a voice to ask for help. "Please promise me something, Sebastien? The little boy nodded in eager, upon her glancing back. "I want you to stay a child for as long as you can." Sebastien looked shell-shocked as if that was the last thing he wanted to promise. The little boy was in much too big a hurry to grow up. "You're already too mature for your own good. Don't be so eager to become an adult. Its really not all too wonderful" she giggled. "I have a ball to organize, law proposals to review, a stack of papers as tall as you in my office for me to sign..." She winked at that, watching Sebastien's eyes grow wider and wider. "Nothing you have to worry your little head over now. The only thing you have to fret over is helping me find Sofia. That little girl seems to be a master at hide and seek."

Anita's head tilted to the side, a sly smile gracing her lips as she glanced back over her shoulder. The clattering of the tailor's young apprentice stopped momentarily. The blonde curly-headed woman peeked around her towering pile of fabrics to offer a beaming smile to the new potential customer. "Ay! Greetings, Sir. May I help you with anything? We don't get many a gentleman here, but don't you worry. My mistress can whip up a suit just as easily as she can one of these wondrous dresses you see here on display." She plopped the hefty pile to the counter and breathed a sigh of relief. Her brown eyes lit up now that she could actually get a full view of dapper young gent. "You, ahem, being such a-a..." A bright blush came across her cheeks as a few soft giggles escaped her. Can I get you started by taking some measurements, perhaps?" By this point Kyier's foot was already tapping in annoyance, "You talk too much." he hissed with a swift roll of his eyes. Graceful footsteps swept across the flor just after Anita excused herself momentarily from Elisabeth's presence. She dipped into the lobby, offering an apologetic smile to the young apprentice over her shoulder. Her arm intertwined with her son's so she might pull him back toward the dressing rooms. Kyier's eyebrow rose at the sight of Elisabeth twirling around, the young Duchess' eyes bright as she watched the lacey fabric sway gracefully with her movements. Anita took notice to the short pause Kyier took before his mouth opened to harass the girls, "Very thoughtful of you, Mother, but really... I thought you knew by now I have never really been one to enjoy the freak show when it comes into town."

Elisabeth watched the two from the opposite end of the mirror, glancing over at Kyier as he smirked, that awful eating grin on his face. She felt the tears well up in her eyes. She was sure that he had meant nothing by his comment, but being called a freak show as she paraded around was an image she didn’t like. She knew she was not his favorite person, but she still requested that he at least maintained some sort of civility toward her. She hopped off the small pedestal and made her way over to him, staring him down. “I’m not a freak, okay?” She said, though her own voice betrayed her as it cut over her words and cracked when it was not supposed to. “Maybe you should just go. Freak or not I am still a lady. It’s not appropriate for you to be here.” But in truth, it was that she didn’t want him to see the tears in her eyes. But of course Kyier just scoffed, He rolled his eyes yet again, "It wasn't be choice that I came here. You want me to leave, talk to my mother."

"Kyier, enough." Anita whispered sharply. She glided forward to pull the curtain that would hide Elisabeth from her son's view. "There now, Sweetheart. What has gotten you so upset? Usually you don't allow Kyier's nonsense to get to you." She sighed at the sound of Kyier's tapping foot a few feet away. "Why have you summoned me here? Tell me now or I shall take my leave to do much more interesting things such as.. setting fire to a rock for instance." Anita rolled her eyes, smirking at Elisabeth, "Funny one, he is. Such wit, I tell you, sharp as a knife." Her careful fingers quickly undid the ties of the gown's corset, moving quickly to the zipper then. She held her hands out to Elisabeth, holding her steady as she stepped from the immaculate dress, "No more worrying, Dear. Such a look from you pulls on my heart. I only ever saw that look from your mother when she was concerned for you. Gods, Cederick and I feared the days you got yourself a little cough. Your poor mother panicked at the slightest sniffle. She loved you so much, Elisabeth. Too much, some days." Kyier growled from behind the curtain. What games was she playing at?! This small talk was torture and gag inducing. His fiery anger rose and without thinking, he reached out for the velvety fabric and tugged it back. ”Mother, I will not be- Oh, gods! Why is it off?!” he shouted, promptly spinning around with his hand reflexively shielding his eyes. Poor Elisabeth let out a surprised little shriek as she jumped into her god-mother’s protective arms. "Gah! Shut up, shut up. I didn't see anything; otherwise my eyes would surely have already burst into flames."

”Where has your sense gone, Kyier?” Anita interjected. ”What young man can’t figure out not to pull on a curtain while a lady is on the other side? It’s just foolish. Your impatience is intolerable, Kyier. Shame on you!” It was so rare to hear Lady Cross being so, well... cross with her son. She huffed and shook her head, holding the crying Elisabeth close. "Kyier I brought you here to get your suit tailored as well as to match it to Elisabeth's ensemble. She can't attend her own ball without a respectable date," That didn't go over well as mother and son began shouting back and forth at one another. Anita hadn't even considered that Elisabeth might not wish to go with the hot-head. "You know how much I abhor balls. I would never go for you, much less that silly girl. It is your own fault for thinking anything less. I already gave my ticket away. Use your sense and ask Mathius to take her." Kyier stormed from the little shoppe, the sound of the door slamming making both the remaining women jump. "I also dragged him here to pull him away from his cousin. Children, I tell you."

Anita finished wiping the tears from Elisabeth's eyes and placed a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead. "I'm so sorry for his reaction, Elisabeth. As well as my own foolishness in not asking you your thoughts. Perhaps Mathius would be a much better date for you, or I'm certain Chrystiem would be more than delighted to have such a beautiful young woman on his arm. Kyier, he- It's not you. I should have known better." she sighed. Anita helped Elisabeth get back into her own dress. Her son never spoke to her with such a tone. She didn't hold him accountable for it as she was well aware of the nerve she struck, but even still she hadn't realized how fresh the wounds were for him. "Elisabeth?" Anita was beginning to question whether her god-daughter was listening to her at all. She just continued to look off toward the door with a familiar look of shear determination returning to her face. "If you are going to spy after him, make sure you stay close enough that if something were to happen, he'll be there to protect you." Anita grinned with a happy little sigh. "Don't worry," Anita spoke again before Elisabeth could get a word out. "If you are in danger, he won't let anything happen to you. You can have faith in that." she smiled.

[AsheWindWaker]

It was exactly as Elisabeth had done, and she dressed in her original clothes and sped off into the city, right after giving her godmother a kiss on the cheek in thankfulness. The crowds had vastly dimmed as the final kiss of dusk was upon them. Nothing but the surrounding click of her small boots against the rocky streets surrounded her. In the distance she could see the others: Families heading into homes out of fear, keepers closing their shoppes. It all seemed as if they were so frightened they did it earlier and earlier. Anita was sure to have gone home, allowing Elisabeth this instance to follow Kyier after the dressing incident. She kept moving, keeping an eye on him as he gallivanted across town. She wondered why he didn’t take a carriage, but still she marveled at ho eloquently and almost feminine his walk was. She watched as those around him moved out of his way, but like his mother it was not out of fear, not the fear he wished they would have of him, but out of respect. Elisabeth thought to herself that there was no way a young man of such high caliber and standing, it would be impossible for him not to be respected by just his name alone, but there was so much more to him. She was unable to fall for the trickery he had in store for those simple minded ones, the ones that stormed from the flames and arrows, but for those like her, she was sure to find out about him: exactly him.

She didn’t care that he threatened her or hated her. She didn’t believe it. She refused to believe that he was honestly a villain. And his father’s words echoed in her mind. She never thought Kyier was a monster, and she was persistent in thinking that nothing would change her mind. Not even those hurtful words that he had said in the shoppe. She was going to persist with him to make sure, until the day he declared she was anything but a freak. She didn’t want his words to have such an effect on her, and she was sure sometime in her life she had been called much worse. This was…different. This was someone who actually, dare she say, mattered in her life. She couldn’t understand why she cared so much, and she most certainly didn’t want to. But she still followed hi swiftly passed the dying crowds and watched as the black stallion that only obeyed him stood forth, so strong and proud. This was Kyier’s horse, she had found out much earlier. She watched from the corner as he gently held the head, and then hopped onto the body of the steed. He came closer to her, and she hid behind a corner. And finally, it was gone. He was just gone, as if he had very well vanished.

Elisabeth was not so stupid to think that she could follow him on foot, so she hitched a ride with a passing carriage, the last ride of the day, as he headed back towards the castle, and she got another horse, the one that belonged to Anita from their stable.
The medium sized creature was calm, and she took off towards town as the sun said its goodbye to the daylight hours. She prayed silently to Nox, asking for safety near the night. This was just another night. Another night when Kyier would not come home, and another night where she could have sat quietly and questioned where he had been going. She galloped around town, nearly sliding off the horse even as gentle as it was. She had all but given up, and decided to return home, the first stars now peaking up and the howls beginning to chill her bones. The night, she noticed, was also becoming much cooler. And suddenly she saw him, off in the distance down from the manor, as if he was securing the border of the forest, he stopped and wrote notes to himself. She got off her own horse, the creature startled, and beginning to run off towards the manor hill.

The Duchess had a different plan, however, and she moved towards Kyier. The howls scared her, but they were distant; near the inner city. Now she was on the edge, following Kyier as he trudged along on his own horse. As the moon grew in brightness, Kyier had suddenly ejected from his own horse. He mumbled something to it, and seeming like it understood, the beast ran off towards the house. She slunk through the trees, trying to gain momentum on him and get closer. But she didn’t expect what happened after she got too close. He was now on foot, standing before her, and she was not trying to startle him. But suddenly he whipped around and held the long end of a dagger at her throat, and he looked positively beastly. She swallowed hard.
“Kyier, please…I don’t think it should be I that you kill tonight.” She took another deep sigh, and glancing downward at the glinting silver she said aloud, “Maybe you should remove that…that knife from my throat, lest you p***k me and I bleed?” She asked. She prayed he would draw away. If he truly hated her as he let on, now would be the most opportune time to end her life. But then the knife came downward.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” He hissed at her, making her shiver.
“What am I doing here?” She laughed. “I could ask the same of you,” She said, poking him in the chest, merely to make him grimace with hatred, and practically snarl at her. “I came here to…protect you. Or, I mean, to make sure you were okay. I was only caring about your safety, because you’re so goddamned careless!” she said, raising her voice slightly. She felt the gooseflesh rise on her arms after she cursed at him.
“How dare you! I do not need protection from the likes of you! You...you moronic, sniveling imbecile! What I need is for you to stay out of my business. I am currently in the middle of a very important matter that is quite frankly impossible already. However now I have to worry about the likes of you which shall create a whole new level of hopelessness!” Elisabeth only stared hurtfully at him as he ranted. She was not to be put up with such utter nonsense. She could so take care of herself. He was just too stubborn to see it. But he continued, “No. I will not be held responsible for the likes of you. You are on your own.” She remember what Anita had said to her, and she only prayed for it to be true. But she didn’t want to him to save her. He was an idiot, and he was so hot-headed and rude. She had every fiber of her being positively itching to turn and follow her horse. But there was something that kept her back, something that pulled her to Kyier and told her to stay. She didn’t want to stop argueing with him, and now being completely different form her normally rather lunatic, introverted self, she stood there stiffly, and attempted a not-very-successful stare-down with the Marquess.
“What was I thinking? You don’t need my help. So go on, you fool! I don’t care what happens to your body. Let the dogs feed on your flesh and howl over your limp, lifeless body!” She screeched. “I don’t dare protect you…you…stupid, stupid man.” And then she turned, and showing him her back she huffed, and she pouted, and she huffed once more.
Kyier just moved forward then, ignoring her as he normally did, as if her words had no effect on him. He didn’t give a damn about the stupid girl or what she thought of him. There was a small hill that he slid down, with most grace, and looked around towards some nearby hounds that had earlier paid the pair no attention. But now one of them looked up and snarled. Elisabeth had turned back around and watched the dogs move closer. Now there were four more, and she feared that Kyier had not seen the other four that now attempted to surround him. She was going to run to him, ignoring her past comments to help him…but suddenly she was in front of two snarling hounds of her own to deal with.

[StormingNightmare]

Kyier's arm moved ever so slowly as his watching eyes scanned over those of the hounds for any sudden change. The slightest flicker could signal the lunging of snapping jaws at his throat. His dexterous fingers wrapped around the silver hilt of the rapier sheathed at his side. It was like time was at a stand still as the two fated enemies watched each other. The scuff of overgrown nails ripping into dirt was the last Kyier consciously heard before his skull slammed against the earth. Everything thing went black, leaving the man helpless to the dog's attack. How had they got the jump on him? From the side, it must have been. Unless the hounds had somehow evolved to a degree of shadow mastery. Ah, a new perplexity to add to his research notes. His hand reached for his notepad to quickly scribble down the idea but instead found the rapier that had fallen not far from his side when he had been- slogged! The Marquess snapped from his trance at the thought, instantly becoming aware of the intense pain where one of the beasts was ripping into the soft flesh of his ankle. With his rapier igniting with a burning orange flame, Kyier thrust the blade into the hound's shoulder. It yelped, its howls making the growls of its pack grow more fierce. Their heads lowered to the ground, muscles tensed as if ready to pounce. The Marquess tried desperately to scramble back up to his feet but the wound on his ankle would not allow it. Quickly, he rolled to the left to dodge the first, looking up just in time to see the claws of the second. "Kyier!" His name was shouted from the distance, but there was no way Chrystiem would reach him in time. A flash of silver leapt up over him, colliding with the attacking hound. Hustled feet arrived at his side, pulling him up from the ground. "We're sorry we are late. I know you were counting on us. We had no idea so many would have been drawn out." "Even the pair of you neglect my findings?" Kyier hissed, angry as Hell.

"I've never seen that before, have you?" Raina asked in complete disregard to the Marquess' temper. Fierce growls and the sound of snapping jaws filled the air. The hounds clashed on hind legs, fangs going for the neck of the enemy kin. Kyier's eyes narrowed curiously on the scene. No. He had never seen the beasts go at each other, but then... There was something different about the one. Her silvery fur seemed to glow in the moonlight as she threw her foe to the ground with her teeth. Three of the black furred hounds now lay lifeless, the other turning to face Raina and Kyier with crimson blood dripping down her jaw. The Right Hand drew her sword only to meet resistance from the very man she was trying to protect. "Wait," the Marquess ordered. The dog lowered her head, sinking down to the ground to proceed forward at a crawl. "Are you clever enough for tricks, Hound?" Kyier felt Raina shift uneasily from under his weight. "No... You are the one, aren't you?" Her coat was one give away, but the real revelation was her eyes. That unique peridot was far from forgettable. Such understanding they held. It was as if the dog were human with the level of emotion being displayed by the pools of pale green. A chill traveled down Kyier's spine, "Thank you. I owe you my life." The dog's ears perked as her head suddenly shot up from the ground. She was trying to look up over the hill where a shrill scream had been heard above all the other commotion.

"-Oh, Gods... I'm so sorry!" Elisabeth lay shaking underneath a limp hound, her eyes red and filling with tears. She hadn't the strength to move the bone crushing animal from her chest and yet despite the peril she was in, the young woman seemed more upset over taking the creature's life than her own situation. "I'm sorry Elisabeth, but now really isn't the time to drop your guard and show sympathy for these creatures. I promise that they would not mourn you dare I say if the situation had been reversed." With a quick and powerful heave, Chrystiem freed Elisabeth from beneath the hound just as the others could been seen coming over the hill. "You did in these hounds on your own?" Ryst asked after finally being allowed the time to fully get a handle on the scene.
One of the beasts, the one that had landed atop her, lay bleeding from the head while another had been entirely decapitated. "Oof!" So suddenly, Chrystiem found himself sprawled out on the ground, not having expected the Lady Elisabeth to fling herself at him. The next thing he knew, she was shoving dirt in his face, a firm hand covering his mouth to keep him quiet. The girl began to whisper a phrase that was barely audible to Chrystiem's ear. It was one he did not recognize... A spell from what he could deduce. Elisabeth's next comment answered his question, "Don't move and the hounds will not see us." she whispered atop him. He watched then as five of the beasts ran past them without even a sniff. Ah, a protection spell. Effective, and yet Ryst was a tad put off by the fact that he had literally had to eat dirt in the process. Chrystiem wiped the dirt from his face and out of his mouth, shaking his head as he sat up slowly. "Ahem..." little particles scratched at his throat.."The sun has begun to rise and the dogs will soon be on there way. Therefore, I must ask that you kindly remove yourself from this rather inappropriate position you've out us in.." Ryst teased with a handsome grin.

With a quick blush, the young woman pushed herself from the ground, offering then her hand to the man she had pushed down. Chrystiem nodded a thanks and dusted himself off. The thundering beat of the paw of the retreating hounds was a more than welcomed sound. "This one does not flee. Are you certain it can be trusted?" Raina's voice crescendoed as she and Kyier drew nearer. They were followed by a silvery hound, "Unlike you, I have some freaking faith in my damn research so yes, yes I do believe the hound will not attack us. I am even more certain because I watched her save my life. Far more than I can say for you and Chrystiem." Raina groaned, "We tried to turn you away from this ridiculous experiment. You had to have known how dangerous trying to draw all the hounds to one place would be." "Everything would have worked out fine had I not been interrupted from my task. It would have been invaluable information if I could have gathered how the hounds behave in a pack. Not to mention the effectivness of certain lures." Elisabeth and Chrystiem came to join them, both the paired greeted only by a hateful glare. "Tell me Kyier... Where the dogs bit you.," she pointed to his torn and bloody leg, "Does it hurt badly?" she asked with a smile, snarkily hoping it did. He was infuriating, he was. With everything he had said to her... the man got what was coming to him. Chrystiem listened to her comment and watched as she smiled, shaking his head at her unusually cruel comment,

"Ouch," he mumbled. Kyier, on the other hand, did not look up at Elisabeth, "Lady Elisabeth I must apologize for what I said earlier. It seems I am incapable of protecting myself and must therefore take back my words. I should have stifled my pride and willingly accepted your assistance." his tone sounded sincere. Elisabeth felt like the rear end of a horse. The first time Kyier had said anything nice to her had only been after she had been a right foul git. The sincerity of his words crushed her. "Curse ye' temper. Mama always said nothing good would come of you." she rambled to herself, shaking her head. Stupid, stupid girl. After a number of passing minutes of this, she finally mustered up the courage to face the Marquess once more. "Kyier." she stated boldly, her heels sliding together with a click. "I would like to apologize for my comment. It was way out line, and I truly wish you no harm. If you need any help cleaning the wounds, I would be glad to assist." she smiled almost shyly. She really did not wish him harm, her anger merely got the better of her. After all, Kyier had saved her life countless times already and the stubborn girl was still hellbent on her belief that the man was no monster. Kyier leaned in toward Elisabeth, his own stubborn hellbent desire to convince her of otherwise driving his usual condescending expression to form grimly over his face, "You are too easy to fool, little idiot. Naive. As if I'd apologize to the likes of you. Hah. However, I will more than gladly accept yours." he grinned slyly. he hissed, sarcasm dripping like venom from his words.

[AsheWindWaker]

The small group moved home, Elisabeth being escorted by Raina and Chrystiem promptly, while Kyier moved at a much quicker pace home, apparently over eager to add to his new research. She was silent, her mind wandering quickly with what had happened. She killed two living creatures. She didn’t want to kill them at all! She merely wanted to stun one. But sure enough, the dog had been killed, beaten and decapitated. Overtop of her, too, none the less. That was the part she hated. She felt the heat of those two beside her, and they gently, but firmly pushed her onward. The manor came into view as Kyier and his new found friend wandered past a very stricken and confused Duke and Duchess. They watched in positive horror as Elisabeth wandered more closely, and they could see how bloody, bruised and sweaty the group was. Elisabeth only smile meekly as she felt Anita wrap her arms around her. She whispered, finding it suddenly difficult to voice herself.
“You’re…you’re going to get all dirty,” She said quietly. But then Anita merely shushed her, and made her quiet as she led her into the house.
“Don’t worry about me, my darling girl,” She petted her head, the damp and gritty locks tangled. Elisabeth nodded meekly once more.
“I need a bath. Will you…will you wait for me? I think I need someone to talk to.”
“Of course,” Anita had responded, but with so much sympathy Elisabeth could hardly believe. She trudged into the bathroom, filling the tub. She didn’t use bubbles or soaps as she had with Sofia’s bath or her own previous ones. She just fell into the steaming hot water, no mind at all to the scorching water reddening her pale skin. She stared upward at the ceiling as she thought about her actions and the ones that had occurred today. Her mind scanned through the dogs, the Marquess, Raina and Chrystiem. And with the addition of stress for tomorrow, her head felt heavy with dizziness.

She removed herself from the tub when she believed she had scratched away the dirt and rubble, the empty scars from her own fear now all that remained. She pulled the robe left there around her body and made her way quickly towards her bedroom where Anita was sitting promptly on the bed. Elisabeth barely made it to her as she crumpled by her feet and cried. Anita was so kind to her, only petted her hair and listened to her muffled sobs.
“So terribly awful. I killed another living creature. I could barely stand to look at myself in the mirror.” Her whole body shook with both the remembrance of her action, and the idea of being so nearly close to death. It was truly an awful play in a different kind of game. She felt Anita click her tongue in a soothing way, pushing away her awful thoughts and telling her everything was going to be okay.
“You only did what you had to do, my darling. You had protected yourself from a world of pain and possibly even the worst kind of fate. You are so strong, and you should see yourself as that woman. Just like your mother.” Elisabeth looked up at her and smiled through her wet face. She had noticed that this was the first time Anita had called her ‘my darling’. And that made her smile alone, but the comparison to her mother made her heart flutter with joy. But then she said something else, something Elisabeth had thoughtof many times in her lifetime, but had yet to come true. “These are the qualities in you that are going to make you a wonderful mother.”
“Thank you,” She sniffled, feeling like a fool for crying so dramatically. She wiped her eyes. “I think the stress of tomorrow is truly getting to me. And then almost dying. I think Kyier is hurt. Perhaps I should go see him and make sure he is alright?” She asked. But Anita had not quite forbidden it, but suggested instead that she get some sleep for herself. She nodded, and Anita had tucked her in like she had done for Sofia and Sebastien. She let Anita’s words sink in, but she couldn’t help the tears from falling wetly onto her pillow. But now she wondered if it was merely her fear of what had happened, the truly angry look in her Kyier’s eyes as she replayed their last conversation.

The morning light had awoken her, and she felt someone beside her. She opened her eyes and found Sebastien asleep with her. She smiled, knowing he might have been frightened or scared during the night. She wondered why he had not woken at his intrusion into her bedroom. She sat up when there was a knock on her door, and a maid entered with a tray of jams, toast and tea, “Breakfast for you, Lady Elisabeth,” she said.
“Thank you,” She said, putting the tray on her legs. Her hair must have been a terrible mess. She tried pulling the tangled weaves behind her head.
“You’ll pardon me saying so, but my Mistress was in a right fit when the Duke stopped her from delivering the breakfast. Said you needed your rest. Said she could come in later. Quite a ruckus she caused. Surprised you didn’t hear it,” She said. By now Elisabeth sat sipping at the sugary tea. She laughed at the story.
“I’ll be sure to come see her quite soon. I don’t mind if she comes in with me. Or us, rather,” She said, looking at the sleeping Sebastien. The maid giggled softly, and left them to eat. Elisabeth crunched on her toast, pulling up the paper that had been brought in as well as Sebastien mumbled and arose from sleeping. He looked around as if he didn’t realize where he was.
“Good morning, Elisabeth.” He finally said, his voice tough with morning.
“Same to you, Sebastien; And what did I do to deserve your company last night?” She asked him, taking another small bite of toast and offering some to him. He smiled rather sheepishly.
“I heard you crying. And by the time I got in here you were asleep. I didn’t want you to wake up and get scared, like I had been. Since my Mama passed, I mean.” His eyes got glossy as he recalled moments with his lost mother, and then he came back and looked at Elisabeth. She just smiled and nodded consent.
“Well thank you, that was incredibly sweet.”
“Are you excited about tonight?” He asked her.

“More like nervous. Can you keep a secret?” She asked. He nodded eagerly. “I am absolutely terrified. I’ve never worn clothes as expensive as my dress, and I have never been to a ball or…or anything like it. I am not so sure I can even dance.”
Sebastien smiled at her, much more widely, almost as if he was laughing at her. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. I cannot dance either.” Elisabeth had a sudden idea, and she stood up and hopped about the floor. And she pulled Sebastien with her, her in her sleep dress and him with his sleeping pants and overlarge nightshirt.
“Let’s dance,” The Duchess said, the two for them suddenly, and clumsily, waltzing together on her bedroom floor.
Anita had entered the room, though unbeknownst to the two dancing. She clapped when they finished, and Elisabeth bowed while Sebastien had merely blushed awkwardly. He mumbled something about going to find Sofia, and Elisabeth sat on her bed as he departed. She smiled up at Anita, who came near her side.
“Feeling any better?” She asked her, and Elisabeth nodded.
“Yes. The sleeping did help, I think. It at least took the edge off of my panic.” She looked up at her godmother. “Would you mind helping me get ready today?” She asked.

[StormingNightmare]

Sofia stood silently in the doorway, not doing much for Sebastien's sorry escape attempt. She had been following around the Duchess all morning seeing as the woman was always the first one awake. The little girl rarely slept, and when she did, it was only ever for a few hours. Sleep terrified her, though she would never admit to it... Nor would she so shamelessly going crawling into the bed of that ridiculously goofy woman. Please. What kind of protection would she really be able to provide him? Dummy Elisabeth was often as big a blubbering mess as he was. They were both big cry babies. "If I had been allowed in here when I planned, you would already be ready, my dear. Anita chuckled from across the room. Sofia paid her no mind anymore now that Sebastien was trying to get her to follow him. The little girl shot him a glare before sticking her nose to the air. She wasn't sure why, but for some reason she felt anger toward him. She shook her head and started off in the opposite direction he wished, "Wh-whoa! Hey, Sofia, wait!" he cried, jogging off after. Sofia, resisting the urge to trip the dolt, continued down the hallway. She climbed the spiral staircase to where she knew Kyier's more private study dwelled at the top. The little girl took notice to Sebastien's slowed step. His eyes searched eagerly about the surroundings. The growing fear held within them made it apparent that certainly wasn't going to be one to travel up here after nightfall. Kyier's familiar mumbles reached the little girl's ears and brought a smile to her face. He always talked to himself like that. Sofia turned the knob and softly pushed open the door, slipping inside without so much as a scuff of her foot. The dog laying at the man's feet lifted its head just as Sebastien was stepping into the room. One look at the creature brought an oddly high-pitched squeal from the boy's lips. The noise did absolutely nothing to disturb the Marquess from his studies, and the innocent dog merely let out a yawn before laying her head back down between her two giant paws. Sofia giggled, scooting across the floor to fearlessly snuggling up to the silvery hound. She pet her soft head and smiled when the pup's tail started to wag happily. Kyier acted as though he didn't even hear the scream, and perhaps it was that he didn't. The man no longer seemed to reside in this world, but instead the world of his books.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, besides, we haven't the time to investigate." Anita sighed, referring of course to the scream that sounded in the distance but a few moments before. "Alphonse and Vivian are very excited about tonight, you know, and I've been taking a lot of heat from my brother-in-law for stealing you and keeping you hidden away from him." she tapped the girl's nose lovingly. "I can imagine how nervous you must be, Elisabeth, but I have a feeling you're going to be a natural." Anita helped the girl peel away her nightdress, and replace it with a silk slip. "Seraphine commanded the dance floor. She adored dances. Her light shown to all to whom her presence graced." Her delicate hands lifted Elisabeth's curly lockes as she gently guided a brush through. She watched the girl's eyes in the vanity's mirror, her smile light and soft just like the one her mother would wear while Anita had taken the brush through her hair. "You are so much more than I'd ever hoped you'd have grown up to be." Anita whispered, completely unaware that she had spoken the statement aloud. She sighed, laying Elisabeth's hair neatly over her shoulder. "You certainly have your mother's hair. I've always so admired it." The elder Duchess chuckled when Elisabeth opened her mouth to complain about the unmanageable mess. It was so very nostalgic, "Your mother used to say those exact same words to me." It wasn't until then that Anita realized just how much meeting and getting to know Elisabeth made her heart ache for her dearest friends. A lone tear traced her cheek while memories of Seraphine dancing about the room helping her get ready littered her head. She had always been so spirited in everything she did. "Would you like to hear something funny, Elisabeth?" Anita smiled, "Your mother was both the clumsiest and most graceful person I have ever known. Oddly stated, I know, but that was your mother."